DEP to give out rain barrels in Dyker Heights

July 14, 2016 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (second from left) helped representatives of the Dept. of Environmental Protection distribute rain barrels in the Staten Island portion of his congressional district. Photo courtesy of Donovan’s office

Share this:

Homeowners in Dyker Heights will be able to get rain barrels for free, thanks to the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which will be coming to the neighborhood to distribute barrels this Saturday.

U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-C-Southwest Brooklyn-Staten Island) is sponsoring the rain barrel giveaway.

The distribution will take place on Saturday, July 16, in the parking lot of the Knights of Columbus Hall, at 1305 86th St., from 9 a.m. to noon. To reserve a free rain barrel, homeowners should call Donovan’s Brooklyn office at 718-630-5277.

Donovan recently worked with DEP on a rain barrel giveaway in the Staten Island portion of his congressional district.

The 60-gallon rain barrels are easy to install, according to a spokesman for Donovan, who said they connect directly to a property owner’s downspout. Each homeowner who receives a rain barrel will be provided with an installation kit and a set of instructions.

The barrels are designed to capture storm water that falls on the rooftop. The water collected in the rain barrel can then be used to by the homeowner to water lawns and gardens.

Rain barrels can help reduce a homeowner’s water bill, according to officials, who said watering lawns and gardens account for approximately 40 percent of a homeowner’s water bill. In addition, the barrels are an important environmental tool since they help to reduce the amount of storm water that enters the city’s sewer system, officials said.

Over the last several years, DEP has distributed more than 5,100 rain barrels to homeowners around the city.